Thornpaw's revenge
by Autumnpelt the rouge
Summary: My first warriors short story please don't hate :P T cuz I ish nervousss


Thornpaw's revenge

Splotch! A sound echoed through the cave of a mother owl and its children. A pile of worms had made that sound, as the mother had regurgitated the pink spineless creatures to feed its chicks. The chicks began shoving each other, wanting to get the largest share. Their mother hooted and scraped her claws on the stone floor of the cave outside the nest, her feathers ruffled. Her children backed away in alarm, but a bold one fluttered right through the pile, not flying, but using its wings to make itself go faster. The mother owl hooted gladly when the owlet only took one worm, leaving the rest for its brothers and sisters. The wind howled outside and the owls ate their supper, soon falling into rest. Paws slapped across the cavern floor and the mother owl shot her head up, turning her head three hundred and sixty degrees. The unknown animal scuttled around and disappeared before the owl could see it. She let her head snuggle into the warmth of her chicks but she realized there was something very wrong. Something wet, sticky and warm was in the nest. She jumped back, fearing the worst, and she saw a horrifying sight. One of her chick's throat had been torn by incredibly sharp teeth and blood leaked out like water from a spring.

"No, not like that Thornpaw, like this." A white cat with jay feather blue patterns shaped like the sun demonstrated the hunting crouch that the apprentice was having trouble with. Thornpaw groaned and rolled his eyes. Snorting he said, "Bluesun, we already have the senior warriors to hunt." Bluesun shot him an annoyed glance. "We may have the senior warriors to hunt, but we have to catch the prey and fight battles to contribute to the clan. Now come on, we have a hunting crouch to learn," he scolded. Thornpaw, a grey silver tom with blue spot like patterns, sank his claws into the earth, furious. 'It wasn't fair,' He thought. 'Blackheart and Sorrowheart are the best warriors in the clan and I want to be one too! How come that mousebrain Moonstar had to pick out Bluesun as my mentor? Bluesun collects herbs in his spare time!' Thornpaw stifled a snarl, dangerously close to curving his lip. Not wanting to make things worse than they already were, the young cat started following Bluesun's lead. But then something caught his eye, a feather, an owl feather, wedged between his claws. "No!" He muttered to himself in a hushed tone. Without delay, he quickly snapped up the feather. It tickled the back of his throat and he started hacking and coughing. "Are you alright?" Bluesun asked, padding back, his voice dripping with anxiety. "Uh, yeah," he replied feebly. Bluesun raised his eyebrows with suspicion but then shrugged it off. Thornpaw exhaled with relief when Bluesun padded off without asking any questions. "That was almost too close," he mumbled. He bounded after Bluesun, although not with excitement, but with a dark cloud hanging above his head, wanting to rain down on his clan mates.

Mountainclan lived on top of a high mountain with an abandoned temple on it. The sound of the temple gong filled the air and all the cats of Mountainclan settled in an enormous hall, and Moonstar, their leader sat on a tall dais, waiting for the turmoil to vanish. But when it didn't Moonstar flicked her tail and Tornpelt, the deputy and also Thornpaw's older brother, rang the gong by slamming his body against it. Silence hit the gathered cats like a wave. "Thank you," she mewed curtly. "Now I have an important announcement…" Tornpelt didn't hear the rest of it. The young tom was nervous, he could feel waves of envy radiating off his brother, Thornpaw had always wanted to train as Will's apprentice but Tornpelt had taken the position as his apprentice. Will didn't want to take on any other apprenticed after Tornpelt left his training. Tornpelt swallowed a lump in his throat and his gaze swept over the crowd, stopping at the sight of Thornpaw. Tornpelt's brother didn't even mask his jealousy; his eyes were full of hatred, pure hatred and his lip was curled into a snarl. Fear washed over his heart when he saw this. 'Who is this? This is not the litter mate I grew up with and loved.' Horror pricked him like a thorn; they had arguments and quarrels all the time, but nothing as deep as this! 'I better avoid him for now,' he thought. But he reconsidered and told himself, 'No! I can't avoid him forever! In the end there will be a talk, and I plan to make it today. No, I'm being stupid, Thornpaw hates me and I should just leave him.' "Tornpelt!" Moonstar growled. "Were you even listening?" The Mountainclan leader narrowed her eyes into slits. "No…"Tornpelt admitted. He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had paid no attention to Moonstar's announcement. "Well I was saying that the owls are going to be visiting the temple in a couple of moons. We don't know when, but we better fix up the temple to house them." Tornpelt nodded and turned his head over to Thornpaw's direction. His brother's fur bristled and his eyes gleamed with suspicion as well as anxiety. Tornpelt narrowed his eyes, what was he hiding?

Sorrowheart ran as fast as she could, racing against time to get to the meeting hall. 'Oh right, I have wings!' she said in her head. She flapped her wings and flew gracefully over the courtyard. Being horribly mutated by an experiment gone wrong in a giant twoleg place, she had grown wings and her eyes glowed an unnatural shade of aqua blue. "Hello Sorrowheart." A silver tabby with bat wings flew alongside her, getting closer until their pelts were touching. Sorrowheart's heart skipped a beat; it was Blackheart, the best of the senior warriors. Blackheart's mother was also mutated by twolegs and Blackheart had inherited her wings and long claws. Sorrowheart loved him, he was kind to her, although he was a bit hard to cut, but Sorrowheart knew that he liked her too. Of course, Blackheart didn't know about Sorrowheart knowing his secret. Blackheart was cold cat, with a disfigured past that never cared much for others when Sorrowheart first met him; until he met the young she cat. The two clan mates descended carefully, folding their wings when they reached the ground. They had landed right in front of the temple and were now walking side by side into the meeting hall. When they came in the meeting had just begun. It seemed like the whole owl flock was there! Tension was growing and pelts were ruffled. The owls just sat on some old perches, not intimidated by the snarling cats. "What's going on here?" Sorrowheart whispered to Blackheart. "No idea," he murmured. Tornpelt sat next to the wolf leader on a lower step of the dais. Sorrowheart and Blackheart could feel mixed emotions hovering around the deputy. They pricked their ears and Moonstar began to speak. "Owl's and cats of mountains and skies, we are gathered here today for a special and alarming announcement." The owls narrowed their eyes. "One of our temple cats has been suspected to be involved in a murder of an owlet. We do not know who it is! But we will find out. Isn't that right owls?" Moonstar spoke with a steady voice, careful not to betray her fear. "Yes…" A huge owl spoke. He had razor sharp wingtips and cruel talons. The owl could easily slice a full grown cat's belly open in half with its wingtips or talons. His eyes were so narrowed you could barely see them and his muscles rippled underneath his feathers. "That is all we wish to speak of, you are all dismissed." Moonstar yowled. The owls flew off into their rooms in the temple and the Mountainclan cats strode outside of the temple and into the courtyard. Their home was always snowy and cold. But the cats of Mountainclan didn't mind, the owls didn't mind either. "Who do you think did it, Blackheart?" Sorrowheart inquired. Blackheart stared straight and spoke with a dark tone, "I don't know and I don't like it." Sorrowheart didn't reply, it was all she wanted to know. "I hope Mountainclan don't get forced into war with the owls," she sighed softly. "I won't let that happen to you," Will meowed sharply. Sorrow's ears felt hot and they padded into the warrior's den, a small temple on the east of the main temple.

Bluesun nosed Thornpaw's pelt, trying to wake him up. "Wake up Thornpaw, and clean out your bedding, it smells worse than Tornpelt's when he was a kit!" Bluesun ordered him. Thornpaw was already awake, but his anger nearly knocked him off his paws. 'How dare he compare me to Tornpelt? Every cat does! Why do all my clan mates have to compare me to him?' Thornpaw snarled at his own thoughts. Bluesun cuffed him, "How dare you growl at me!" Thornpaw shot out of his nest and ran off. "If you know what's good for you come back here right now!" Bluesun called while running after him. "No! Now you're calling me a mousebrain!? First you compare me with my fox dung of a brother and now you're judging my intelligence!? What kind of mentor are you? A mentor I don't want!" Thornpaw spat while skidding to a halt. "All you ever do is ever do is boss me around, treat me like a newborn kit, judge me, make me do lame apprentice jobs, we never even learn battle moves, you're a terrible mentor Bluesun." Bluesun was taken aback. Was this really how his apprentice really thought of him? Thornpaw scrambled away. He traveled down the mountain that the temple was set atop; the only thing on his mind was escaping. He couldn't stand all this anymore. "One day, just you wait, I will get my revenge and you will be punished for your crimes," he vowed.

BONG! BONG! Tornpelt rang the gong frantically and all of Mountainclan and owls assembled. "One of our warriors, Bluesun, has reported some extremely important news. Bluesun, come up and share it with us." Moonstar ordered. "Yes, of course," came the reply from the sun patterned tom. Bluesun stepped onto a lower podium and meowed, "My apprentice, Thornpaw, has left the temple in misery." There were lots of whispers and wails among the Mountainclan cats. When they didn't quiet down Tornpelt rang the gong. Starshine, the medicine cat poked her head out of the medicine temple when she heard the commotion, and Starshine never left the den, until now that is. "Thornpaw is gone!" Orchardbreeze, a tabby queen expecting kits meowed frantically. Starshine's eyes widened when she heard the shocking news. The medicine temple was connected to the main temple by a corridor, which was a good thing because Starshine could hear most of the things that were happening in there. "Follow me Starshine," Orchardbreeze told her. They went down the old corridor and pushes open the doors by nudging it. The owls were on their perches, the cats were gathered below the dais, and Moonstar was addressing the animals. "Do not worry Bluesun, Tornpelt. I will send out search patrols for Thornpaw. The big owl flew onto the dais and stepped forward. "I'd say that this young cat left because he was responsible for the murder of Halo's owlet!" he announced boldly. Murmurs of agreement and approval rippled through the owls. "Ridiculous. Thornpaw is only an apprentice," Moonstar argued back. "He may be only an apprentice, but Mountainclan cats are dangerous creatures, and could easily kill an owlet without being caught." The big owl stated. Moonstar narrowed her eyes. "You know as well as I do that is not true," she retorted. "We'll see who has the last laugh Moonstar, because we know that your apprentice is behind the crimes." The big owl dismissed himself and the other owls followed his lead. "How rude," Moonstar murmured sadly. She turned her head to the side to see Bluesun approach her. "Good evening Bluesun, I trust that everything is alright?" Moonstar greeted. "Yes, except one thing." "What is it?" "A couple of moons ago I caught Thornpaw eating an owl's feather caught in his claw." The headstrong leader knew where this was going. "So… the owls were right…" She murmured. "I am disappointed, but since Thornpaw has left the temple, we must find him and bring him back to take his punishment." Bluesun slowly nodded. "Bluesun, go with Tornpelt to join a search patrol. "It will be better if there are chances of you finding him instead,"

Tornpelt sat in his nest, moping around. He hadn't been the same since Thornpaw left. "Oh, how I miss you Thornpaw." "Tornpelt?" Bluesun poked his head in. "Go away," growled Tornpelt. "Tornpelt, you and I are going to join a search patrol for Thornpaw," Bluesun explained calmly. Tornpelt's ears twitched but his back was still faced to Bluesun. When Bluesun was going to speak again, Tornpelt got up and headed towards the courtyard. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Tornpelt mewed. Bluesun flicked his tail, "Of course." But when they began to head out, the gong rang. "Who rang the gong?" Tornpelt wondered, the young tom was usually the one to ring the gong. "It was probably Moonstar, so let's go!" Bluesun ordered. When the pair found a spot in the room, Moonstar addressed them. "I am sorry to say but we cannot continue to search as there is a blizzard heading towards the mountains right now," she began grimly. "But all the hunting parties have returned," she smiled a little. "Wait! Blackheart's patrol hasn't returned yet," someone piped up from the crowd. Just as the cat spoke, the door opened with a bang and Blackheart's search patrol came in. "Oh thank goodness," Moonstar breathed a sigh of relief. Grimclaw, who was in Blackheart's party yowled, "The search patrol has come back, but Blackheart and Sorrowheart chose to stay behind in the blizzard!" Moonstar leapt to her paws. "Why didn't you stop them!?" she demanded. "We tried to but Blackheart wouldn't listen and Sorrowheart didn't want to leave him alone in the weather," Grimclaw explained. "What are we going to do?" Tornpelt cried. Moonstar thought for a moment then sighed. "Nothing. There's nothing we can do for them. I am sorry," she meowed sadly, her voice flat with defeat. "We can't leave Thornpaw, Blackheart and Sorrowheart out there alone!" whispered Tornpelt to Bluesun. "Exactly, that's why I plan to go after them with you," the sun patterned spoke in a soft but determined voice.

Blackheart and Sorrowheart trekked across a mountain. Their wings were frozen and they couldn't fly. They could only go on and on. "You know, you didn't have to go with me," Blackheart grunted. "I would rather die then leave you up here alone," Sorrowheart retorted. Suddenly, Blackheart stopped and Sorrowheart bumped into him, leaving them in an awkward position. "Sorry," the she cat apologised, her face flushing a crimson red. "It's fine…" "Why did you stop?" Blackheart felt like he had been snapped back into reality. "Look ahead," he spoked in a hushed whisper. There was a silhouetted figure in the snow. It was a cat by the looks of it, and the cat was standing up. The figure moved towards them slowly. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Blackheart and Sorrowheart," the cat said. "Remember me?" "Thornpaw" Sorrowheart exclaimed. "We came to bring you home." Thornpaw was dangerously silent. "No. I have no home now. I only have one desire. And that desire is revenge. Bluesun was a fool, all of you were. I plan to start my vengeance. Now." Without warning, the mentally scarred apprentice leapt onto Sorrowheart, snapping at her throat. Sorrowheart unsheathed her claws and scratched his muzzle. She then got up and pinned Thornpaw to the ground slicing at his belly with her hind claws. Blackheart joined in the fight as he sank his long claws onto Thornpaw's flank. Thornpaw hissed and made an attempted to rip out his throat but to no avail as he elegantly dodged it. Sorrowheart shook out her pelt and released Thornpaw. Thornpaw siezed the opportunity and hissed flipping Blackheart aside and unsheathing his claws, made an attempt to slice open Sorrowheart's flank, and his claws ripped at flesh. Sorrowheart felt a burning pain at her stomach and collapsed onto the whipped his head around and went to work on Blackheart. Blackheart padded over to Sorrowheart, concerned, and Thornpaw took advantage of that. He pinned down the senior warrior and was about to rip out his throat, but Sorrowheart leapt from her deathbed and tackled him over the side of the mountain they fought on, but Thornpaw hung on to the ledge. Sorrowheart placed her good leg on Thornpaw's head. "No… Sorrowheart, don't do this! Please!" "Sorrowheart met his gaze with a hard stare. "You must be punished for your crimes." Without hesitating, she put her weight down on Thornpaw's head and the killer fell off the mountain. Will ran over to Sorrowheart who had collapsed on the edge. "No, Sorrowheart, don't leave me please!"

Bluesun and Tornpelt went on and on. Then they saw a figure hanging from the ledge with its claws. Tornpelt instinctively knew it was Thornpaw. Thornpaw had landed on a lower ledge when Sorrowheart had pushed him off. Thornpaw pulled himself up, looking up and saw Blackheart looking over Sorrowheart's body. The scarred wolf shook his pelt and turned his head towards his brother and his mentor. But he didn't walk up to them. He ran to them and attacked them. Thornpaw pinned down Bluesun who was squirming underneath his weight and clawed Tornpelt's flank. Weakened by the blizzard, Tornpelt fell hard and smashed his head onto the side of the cliff. Thornpaw waited no more; he sunk his teeth into Bluesun's throat. "Die!" Thornpaw's former mentor twitched for a while and his eyes rolled to the back of his head until Thornpaw could only see the whites. He was dead. He was dead, and so was Sorrowheart. Thornpaw sneered at Bluesun's body and kicked it over the edge. But what he didn't see coming was his death. Tornpelt, who had recovered from his fall, leapt onto Thornpaw and they fought fiercely against each other, until, like Sorrowheart, Tornpelt slammed into Thornpaw and Tornpelt's brother fell over the edge, just hanging on with his claws. "Tornpelt please, you're my brother! We're kin! Surely that's important to you," Thornpaw pleaded. "You're right, we are kin," mumbled Tornpelt. Thornpaw's eyes flashed with relief but were quickly filled with dread when Tornpelt began speaking again, "But to me, loyalty is more important than kin." Thornpaw knew he had lost, so he would end it with last words of love. "Tornpelt, Coldfire would have been proud of you." Tornpelt smiled. Then, to punish his brother, he scratched Thornpaw's paws, and his brother fell, for good.

It had been moons since the death of Sorrowheart, Bluesun, and Thornpaw. Blackheart was still grieving for Sorrowheart, but at least Sorrowheart was somewhere safe. Moonstar rang the gong to assemble Mountainclan. The owls had left, declaring that death was punishment enough for Thornpaw's crimes. Tornpelt, had taken up a mate, Hollyberry, and they had three healthy kits, Bramblekit, Hickorykit, and Silverkit. "Cats of Mountainclan, as you know I am on my last life. I have not been able to face the truth. But Starshine has found illness in me. I will die, leaving Mountainclan to Tornpelt. It will be moons before my death, but from now on, Tornpelt will lead Mountainclan instead of me," Moonstar announced. There were wails and yowls from among the crowd. Moonstar ignored them and whispered to Tornpelt, "Young Tornpelt, when I die you shall journey to the Cavern of Ice to share with Starclan. Remember all your training, you will need it." Tornpelt couldn't believe it, he was going to be leader. "But I've only been deputy for two moons," Tornpelt protested. "You shall learn on the job," Moonstar reassured him. "I will do my best," Tornpelt promised. "Good," Moonstar coughed and wheezed. "Good luck young Tornpelt, I know you will be a good leader.

The End


End file.
